Last week’s opinion piece in The Australian by Professor Michael Legg, Director of the Law Society’s FLIP Stream research project at UNSW Law, and Research Fellow, Felicity Bell, highlighted some of the regulatory and ethical uncertainty solicitors are facing as a result of the innovation and technological changes sweeping the legal profession.

As part of our commitment to helping solicitors embrace the challenges and opportunities technology presents in the legal space, the Law Society is taking its Future of Law and Innovation in the Profession (FLIP) program to four regional locations in 2019, starting in Newcastle on 15 March and then moving onto Byron Bay, Wollongong and Dubbo.

We’ve created a three-hour FLIP interactive program specifically for our regional members incorporating a series of presentations to help solicitors “future proof” their practice. These include:

• Insights into the current legal landscape and practical advice on how to easily implement new technologies into your practice
• A workshop on the latest approaches from design thinking and legal project management to resolving challenges you may face as a regional practitioner
• Information on the increasing relevance of cybersecurity, with the latest updates to protect your practice from cyber-attacks.

I am looking forward to attending all four events, hearing from experts in technology and innovation and of course engaging with solicitors from regional and rural areas to learn more about the circumstances and challenges unique to their local area. 

The Regional FLIP Roadshow will be complemented by other technology and innovation initiatives, including the 2019 FLIP Conference in Sydney on 25 July 2019 and more research from our FLIP Stream collaboration with UNSW Law.

Another exciting event coming up is the Law Society’s International Women’s Day Breakfast on Friday 8 March 2019. Our keynote speaker is Dr Kirstin Ferguson, the woman behind the #CelebratingWomen social media campaign and the subject of a 2018 LSJ article.

A leading company director, lawyer, former member of the Australian Defence Force, and now author, Kirstin has been inspiring women from all walks of life to celebrate each other’s achievements. I am looking forward to being part of what will be an insightful discussion on the challenges and achievements of women in law, business and their community. 

Elizabeth Espinosa, Law Society President

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